CTO Lab

Voxeo Labs is testing several ATA devices in order to assess the ability of an ATA device to serve as a PSTN to VoIP signal conversion tool in order to allow the SIP Based Voxeo Prophecy IVR platform to interface directly to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Prophecy is a native SIP based VoIP platform, it is necessary to convert SIP (VoIP) to analog TDM signals in order to send calls to the traditional Telephone devices.

For our test cases and potential typical user scenarios, it is presumed that our users will wish to terminate POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) lines directly into the Voxeo Prophecy Server, in order to enable Prophecy to Receive and Send phone calls.

Why does all this matter anyway?

Well.. it matters because we are trying to make computers listen to – and talk – to people.

The devices tested include the following:

Linksys SPA400 Internet Telephony Gateway Grandstream GXW4104 FXS Gateway Grandstream GXW4114 FXO Gateway Mediatrix 4104 Mediatrix 1204 Patton Multiport VoIP Gateway Audio Codes MP-114

Linksys SPA400 “The SPA400 features the ability to connect up to four (4) standard analog telephones lines to a Linksys Voice System (LVS) VoIP network and includes the additional benefit of an integrated voicemail application. The SPA400 utilizes multiple analog phone lines and automatically routes calls to and from your existing PSTN telephone service. Designed to be implemented with the LVS IP Telephony System, the SPA400 enables cost-conscience business users to leverage the high value features generally found only on more expensive PBX equipment.”

The SPA400 is a very simple device designed to register against the Linksys SPA9000 IP switch device to provide a bridge between the PSTN and the Linksys Switch. Offical Linksys docs state that it is not designed to be used by other devices, and its web config tool reflects a restricted approach to alternate use, but there are docs available for other IP PBX configurations such as with Asterisk and CommuniGate. Since we’re not concerned with SIP registration for the purposes of our use – this device is essentially ineffective. Although Linksys produces quality products for a reasonable price, and we could easily get it to work via SIP registration to an IP switch, our goal is to make it easier than all that.

Our testing proved that the SPA 400 did not contain enough configurable options to allow routing and switching, and it’s limited menu structure did not allow a gateway to be defined outside of a registration state. This is likely because it’s designed as a component for a standardized system and not as a stand-alone device. The Linksys did prove the easiest to get up and running, as well as the easiest to configure from a network standpoint. However – it did not meet our criteria for providing SIP Trunking to an external IP Gateway device to act as a PSTN conversion tool for specifically – Voxeo Prophecy.

Related posts:

1. Bridging the Gap between VoIP and the PSTN using ATA’s

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